Ergonomically speaking, the Oasis is the thinnest and lightest Kindle ever made. It comes with a one-side hand grip that tapers out until it reaches just 0.13 inches at its thinnest point. The hand grip is perfect for one-handed reading though, and at 0.29 pounds, this device won’t lead to tired wrists.

The physical build is also more robust, made out of electroplated plastic that’s stronger yet lighter than regular plastic.

The biggest feature of the Oasis? Its battery-recharging leather cover. Not only is the leather cover fancy and grand, but when combined with the Oasis’s new hibernation mode, you can get months of battery life on one charge. Yes, it’s removable. It comes in black, merlot, and walnut colors.

Everything else is pretty much the same: touchscreen, high-resolution 300 PPI 6-inch display, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a built-in system of LED lights for page-viewing consistency when needed.

As you might expect, these features don’t come cheap. The Kindle Oasis retails at $289 for the standard setup (other configurations may be made available in the near future).

The Bottom Line

Only get the Kindle Oasis if you have the money to spend. The recharging leather cover is nifty, but ultimately unnecessary unless you expect to find yourself stranded on an island for a few weeks. The hand grip is its most practical feature, but is it worth the price? Not for me, but maybe for you.

The Kindle Voyage

The Kindle Voyage was Amazon’s top-shelf model from late 2014 up until the Oasis was released in early 2016 — and now that the Oasis is here, it almost feels as if the Voyage doesn’t have a reason to exist any more. It’s no longer the luxury option yet still too expensive to be practical.

It’s technically the thinnest and lightest Kindle after the Oasis thanks to its thickness of 0.30 inches and its weight of 0.39 pounds, and while those specs aren’t insignificant by any stretch, it’s hard to justify the $100 price difference between the Voyage and the next model down.

Like the Oasis, the Voyage comes with a touchscreen, high-resolution 300 PPI 6-inch display, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a built-in system of LED lights for dark reading (although fewer lights than the Oasis, so less consistency). Battery life is measured in weeks.

The Voyage is the only model with PagePress technology, which lets you rest your thumb on the edge and lightly press when you want to turn the page. It’s a worthwhile quality-of-life enhancement that many Voyage users end up loving. The tactile feedback is very nice.

The Bottom Line

You’re basically paying $100 over the next model for three things: half an inch less thickness, a negligible amount of weight reduction, and PagePress. For a practical guy such as myself, I know I can live without those. On the other hand, if you can afford the Voyage, you might as well spend a little more for the Oasis.

The Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite is without a doubt the most popular variant. It’s better than the basic model in every single way, yet only costs marginally more. If you ask me, the Paperwhite should be the lowest offered model of the Kindle because there’s no reason to go below it.

It weighs in at 0.45 pounds with a thickness of 0.36 inches, making it barely heavier than the Voyage and only slightly thicker. On the other hand, it’s a little bit heavier than the basic model and slightly thinner. For everyday reading on the go, it won’t give you much trouble at all.

The Paperwhite comes with a touchscreen, but it’s the lowest you can go that still has a high-resolution 300 PPI 6-inch display, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a built-in system of LED lights for dark reading (fewer bulbs than the Voyage, so slightly less consistent). Battery life is measured in weeks.

The Bottom Line

You can’t go wrong with the Paperwhite. If you’re thinking of buying your first Kindle, go with the Paperwhite. It’s good for portability and long-term reading. It doesn’t skimp on any fundamental features and only costs $40 more than the Kindle Basic. This is the everyman’s Kindle.

The Kindle Basic

The Kindle Basic is a disappointment. It’s obviously meant to be an entry-level device for those who want to try e-ink technology without investing too much in something they may not use long-term, but the feature set is gimped and the device itself has very little value for what you pay.

This thing weighs in at 0.42 pounds with a thickness of 0.40 inches, which isn’t that bad but will prove frustrating from time to time. It’s also prone to wearing out your arms during long hand-held reading sessions.

Not only that, but the Basic is inferior to the Paperwhite in every way. It has a touchscreen but no high-resolution display (only 167 PPI). Battery life is measured in weeks, but there aren’t any built-in LED lights for dark reading, which is bad news for night-time readers.

With a retail price of $59, the Kindle Basic is only for the most budget-conscious readers, but the overall value isn’t great.

The Bottom Line

We don’t recommend the Kindle Basic. If you do buy one and end up loving it, you’re just going to upgrade to a Paperwhite at some point anyway so you might as well start off with one. If you buy it and hate it, at least you can fetch a better resale price for a Paperwhite than a Basic.

Is the Kindle Right for You?

Have you decided on which model you want to get? If so, awesome! But before you dive in and order one from Amazon, take a moment to consider whether you need a Kindle right now.

Then again, if none of those reasons apply to you, then feel free to buy one and start reading eBooks on that beautiful e-ink screen. Nothing beats the experience. Your eyes and your mind will both thank you profusely.

Which Kindle did you decide on? How often do you read eBooks versus real books? Are e-ink screens necessary or are you fine using a smartphone or tablet? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

simon12

May 10, 2017 at 11:03 am

I Use Vox player. It lets listening music on YouTube and SoundCloud , he has stylish design, can adjust the sound quality and the price is acceptable. And that's cool, you can share your favourite tracks and has Loop, where I keep my music.

I Use Vox player. It lets listening music on YouTube and SoundCloud , he has stylish design, can adjust the sound quality and the price is acceptable. And that's cool, you can share your favourite tracks and has Loop, where I keep my music. Vox best player)

The LED's on the Paperwhite aren't just for "dark reading". On the contrary, the more light there is around you, the brighter you should adjust the lights to be. The lighting is what makes the page appear white rather than, as in the basic models, grey. The clue is right there in the name, yet so many reviews (like, I'm sorry to say, this one) don't seem to have grasped that rather basic feature.

Yes, you're right, EM! I should've mentioned that. And to be honest, I never knew that's how the Paperwhite got its name, haha. (This is also true for computer monitors: the brighter the environment, the brighter the monitor, or the darker the environment, the darker the monitor!)

I held off for years to buying a Kindle - and then I bought a Paperwhite and it goes everywhere with me.
I was convinced my iPhone and iPad combination covered all e-reading eventualities, but when I used them to read long form material I became distracted by notifications from email, social media and news flashes. I rarely finished what I wanted to read.
Now, with my Paperwhite, I am reading more, my arm doesn't ache when I do and the act of reading is a again a pleasure.
So for short form reading I use my iOS devices and for books I use Kindle. No regrets.

Oh yeah, that's a great point, barstep! The lack of social connectivity and distractions is another big bonus to using something like a Kindle over a regular phone or tablet. Glad to hear that your Kindle experience is a positive one. Thanks for sharing. :)